With two weeks of the Pembroke County League remaining, Divisions 3 – 6 now have some clarity in terms of final positions for teams seeking promotion and avoiding relegation following the results from Saturday (Aug 10).
Imble Lane will host a potential Division 3 title shootout for the Albert Scourfield Cup next weekend when table toppers Pembroke Dock welcome their nearest challengers, Fishguard. After two successive relegation seasons the Dock (138-2) have as a minimum secured promotion following their 8 wicket win over Haverfordwest II (137ao), the victory march led by opening batsman Jake Davies, whose run a ball unbeaten 71 featured eleven boundaries. He was supported by Nick Daley (31; 7x4) in an opening stand of 70, former skipper Scott Griffiths with an unbeaten 16 all from shots across the boundary ropes. The Town skipper Nigel Morgan elected to bat on winning the toss but failed to trouble scorers Nicola Murray and Natalie Thomas, his sides runs coming from opening batsman Max Rodrigues (33;7x4) and Dough Johnson (28; 5x4) before Suliman Safi struck a six and six boundaries in a late 38, left arm quickie Neil Gregory (3-13) and opening bowler Euan McDonald (3-38) the pick of the home attack.
Fishguard (92-2) have all but secured their place in Division 2 after overcoming bottom of the table Hook II (87ao) at Tregoes Park, the Black Diamonds runs before tea coming from Dafydd Bowen battering 32 and 20 from Wayne Griffiths, the Twin Town wickets shared between Ashish Jayes (2-7), Seth Woodhouse (2-23) and Shaun Sinnott (2-18). Skipper Scott Delaney ended unbeaten on 25, Dan Griffiths contributing 23, veteran Nigel Delaney 20 and Jayes an unbeaten 16, teenager Charlie Holder taking 2-28 for the visitors who will return to Division 4 next season.
They will be joined in a division lower by Neyland II (196ao) who were defeated at the Clive Huxley ground by hosts Bosherston & Stackpole (198-3), the All Whites electing to bat where Lewis Page continued hi seasons good form with 58 and teenager Sammie Vaughan-Harris contributing 27 as Paul Oeppen took 4-31 for the Lillies alongside 2-25 from Andrew Henshaw. Josh Davies (63no) and John Williams (48no) ensured the home success after Jonathan Hughes had stroked 45.
Lamphey (189-5) restricted visitors Laugharne to 197-8 after they had elected to make first used of another good wicket in the Pembroke village, David Dredge (3-30), David Blackwell (2-36) and Peter McGilloway (2-24) the leading lights with the ball for the Stags as visiting captain Callum Collins-Davies struck 101, Matt Tait 34, and Quentin Tait 23. The home reply was built around the reliable Rob Mathias with an unbeaten 67, McGilloway (57), Blackwell (30) and teenager Sylas Ferran with an unbeaten 19, veteran Shaun Lynch the pick of the Carmarthenshire villages bowlers with 3-35.
The final game in the division saw hosts Hundleton & Wallaston hang on for a 2 run win after they posted 208-8, skipper Craig Williamson scoring 60 coming in at first wicket down, having elected to bat, teenage opening batsman Elliot Midgley top scoring with 61 before dad Stuart contributed an unbeaten 23 in the late order, Jack Badham spinning 4-43 for the Kingsmore visitors. Badham led the response with 42 alongside opening partner Richard Prout (20) after tea, Jack Cole (62) and Teddy Griffiths (46) the leading lights in the mid innings, where Midgley was the pick of the home attack with 3-53 to complete a man of the match display.
The game next weekend at Treelet between table topping Pembroke II and visitors St Ishmaels II will go a long way to identifying the promotion slots from division 4 alongside who will lift the Rowland Jones Cup as champions, Saundersfoot II, the other side in the mix travelling to Llandigie Fawr to lock horns with relegation threatened Llanrhian II.
Last Saturday Pembroke II 100-5) secured a 5 wicket win at the Lewis Lloyd Ground over Narberth II after dismissing the hosts for 99 after skipper James Tomkinson asked them to bat, new ball bowlers Rob Smyth (4-25) and Andrew Price (3-20) reducing relegation threatened Narberth to 54-8 after Tim Webb was run out by Jaydon Sutherland having struck three boundaries and a six in his sides top score of 29. Victory was secured with overs in hand, opening batsman Will Davies (22; 1x6;3x4) and Luke Butler (33; 3x4) taking their side halfway to their winning target before veteran Richard Howell intervened with his medium paced swingers, ending with 2-14. Another of advancing years Phil Jones scored a patient 17 (1x4) with youngster Oli Johns taking 1-2 for Narberth.
Saundersfoot II (94-6) hold the second promotion place after they defeated visitors to the King George V field, Carew III bowled out for 93 having made first use of the wicket n winning the toss, veteran former seasider, Steve Cole top scoring for the Rooks with 24 and another of similar age, Brian Hicks contributing 23, seamer Kevin Sykes new ball taking 4-20 taking. Post tea Steve Cook with an unbeaten 22 and some Maesteg magic from Mike Bailey with 13no saw the home side home, Rhys Grigg 2-21, seamer Jac Scourfield managed his numbers well to take 3-28 alongside fellow seamer Rhys Grigg (2-21).
St Ismaels II (104-0) kept up their promotion challenge with a ten wicket win over visitors Haverfordwest III (102ao), where opening batsman Ian Lewis (42; 3x4) led the visitors batting card after skipper Mark Davies elected to bat, teenager seamer Ollie Rees (3-15) and veteran Stuart Carpenter (4-24) making hay when the sun shone for the Mice. Opening batsmen Darren Hawkins stroke nine boundaries in his unbeaten 56 and partner Owen Thomas exchanged his goalkeeper gloves for batting ones with an unbeaten 37 (6x4) for a comprehensive success.
Llangwm II (168ao) were defeated by 45 runs at Pills Park by visitors Crymych (213-4) who had all their batsmen in double figures after captain Steffan Williams elected to bat, Nitai Dury the undoubted man of the match with an unbeaten 47 ball 74 (2x6;5x4) before he proceeded to take 4-38 after tea. Ifan Davies, with a run ab ball 31 (1x4) had helped him add an unbeaten 110 for the fifth wicket after opening batsmen Sion Vaughan (38; 8x4) and Richard Thorn (20; 4x4) had set the foundations, veteran Darren John the pick of the Three Salmons attack with 2-25. Huw Brock processed the reply with 43 alongside first team skipper Ollie Davies (27) to no avail as Davies pushed Dury for the man of the match accolade with 3-49.
Llanrhian II remain in the relegation dogfight with Narberth II and Llangwm II, the Cows being restricted to 122-7 after electing to bat at Lawrenny II, who won by 7 wickets having responded with 125-3, Taylor Lewis unbeaten on 58 for the Gavanyards supported by Noah Williams with an unbeaten 24. Veteran Rick Walton took 2-24 with his seamers having scored 27 as he helped skipper Fraser Watson (33) and Tony Kitchell (33) to the post tea score, Steve Cole with 2-21 the best of the home bowlers.
There were three games in Division 5, where table topping Herbrandston II (95-3) secured the Einon Richards Cup as they faced little resistance from already relegated Neyland III (94ao) on the artificial wicket in the Brunel Town, opening batsman Simon Ellis having a Jafa of an innings with nine boundaries in his 56 for the home side, teenage seamer Dillon Lewis taking 3-7 from his seven overs for the champions. Wicket keeper Aaron Bowles struck a brace of sixes and half a dozen boundaries in a run ab ball unbeaten 57, Ferdy Stevenson adding 22 (3x4) in support.
Pembroke Dock II (123ao) were beaten at Springfield by 86 runs to severely dent promotion charge as Whitland II posted 209- with Jamie Thomas (69) supported by Matt Driver (46no) and Will Jordan (27), Anton John taking 3-41, Steve Davies 3-24 and Phil Scott, 2-235.
Jordan then caused havoc with the ball for the Borderers, taking 5-18 alongside Dan Howells 3-33 and Joel Evans (2-30), John top scoring for the visitors with 54.
The final game played was at the picturesque Castle Ground over looking Carew Castle, where Cresselly III were bowled out for 132 having elected to bat by Hundleton & Wallaston II (136-4) who secured the 6 wicket win with an unbeaten 57 from veteran opener Jonathan Williams, Luke Williams adding 25 to his earlier haul of 5-14 as the Doves score card fell apart after opening batsmen Ollie Rowlands (43) and dad Tom Rowlands (34), supported by number 3 Joseph Davies (20). Davies took a credible 3-20 for the home side.
In Division 6 the combined Cresselly & Haverfordwest side were dismissed for 14 on the artificial wicket at Ysgol Preseli by promotion chasing Llechryd III, who secured victory on 15-2. Kelvin Holmes took 4 wickets for a single run and Jordan Harrison a brace of wickets without conceding a run. The only other game played in the division was the basement battle at the Kingsmore ground where Kilgetty II (97-4) defeated visitors Whitland III (96ao) to leapfrog above them, Rhodri Lewis taking 3-34 and scoring 26 for the Borders, alongside 25 from Keith Hogben.
Photo credit: Pembroke Dock Cricket Club, who captained by George Smith, celebrated promotion back to Division Two at the first attempt
